Writing Prompt #1: "The simple things..." for Mama Kat's Pretty Much World Famous Writers Workshop
............
Those words caught my eye. The Simple Things.
What comes next?
The Simple Things are the Best Things...?
The Simple Things in life are Free...?
The Simple Things are what Matter Most...?
Morning birdsong. A hot cup of tea. Warm toes. Flush toilets.
As my mind scrabbled to think up something deep for this post, what I realised is how I often complicate the simple things by my procrastination.
In my efforts to make my life easier, I end up complicating everything and making more work for myself.
Like toilet training. You would think that by Child Number Three I would have this down pat. It should be simple (as it was with the other two).
But no. My youngest child is three and counting. He refuses to go to the toilet.
He knows what to do, but will he do it? Nuh-uh.
So what do I do? I make sticker charts. I promise rewards. I threaten punishments. I give lectures...
All to no avail.
Because I am procrastinating what I know I must really do, hoping he'll get it at some point before his 21st, I run the risk of him still being in Buzz Lightyear Pull-Ups when he starts high school (until his mates start pointing and laughing, then he might finally get it).
What I really need to do is go cold turkey. Stick him in undies and weather out the wee-and-poo storm for a few days til he gets it through his head that there will be no more Mr Lazy-Bones.
Blindingly obvious, really.
And yet I continue to procrastinate and complicate while he continues to lazily urinate in the Pull-Ups.
Procrastination. Its the ruination of the Simple.
By procrastinating I create a world of hurt for myself. By putting off til tomorrow what I should have done yesterday, I find myself in a flurry of stress and sweaty rushing as I last-minute-race to do the jobs I have neglected before its too late.
If only I had kept things simple and totaled up my receipts for my book-keeper hubby as he requested, instead of procrastinating and watching 60-Minute Makeover. Peace would reign instead of annoyance.
If only I had done some housework before sitting down to blog, telling myself, "I'll do it later..." Then when my friend/mum/husband turns up unexpectedly I wouldn't be embarrassed by my pile of unwashed dishes and crumby floor.
If only I had made the kids take their own shoes/coats/bags/crap with them out of the car each time they exit, I wouldn't be driving around in a rubbish-tip on wheels.
If only I had bothered to check that the lid was securely on the sugar jar when I baked those muffins, I wouldn't be waking up to thousands of ants swarming over my benchtop, feasting on my sugar, which must now be washed down the sink, along with the ant swarm.
My laziness is my undoing. My procrastination complicates the otherwise-simple.
One of these days I will figure it out and actually do something about stopping this Procrastination.
Procrastination fuels my anxiety. Procrastination steals my peace. Procrastination robs me of a Simple Life.
Procrastination, you suck!
I'm going to knock you on the head just as soon as I get the chance.
Like, right after I finish this blog post. As soon as I've quickly checked out my favourite blogs. OK, definitely after I've replied to my emails... ooh I need to just check my Facebook feed, see what Gail's been up to... I wonder if there are any more cool Tangled party ideas on Pinterest...? I'll just quickly check that out and then I will be dealing to you, Procrastination, once and for all!
Ahhh who am I kidding?
I'll do it tomorrow.
